Philosophy 2: Society and Values

Pierce College

Department of Philosophy, & Sociology

Spring, 2020

Second Essay Prompt

Due Friday, April 17th Monday, April 20th by 11:59PM

Turn this assignment in via Canvas. 

This assignment amounts to 30% of your course grade (unless it gets dropped as the lowest one of the four essays you write). 

In five pages (that is, in no fewer than five pages, and no more than five and a half pages): 

1) explain one (and only one) of the following moral situations: A) lying about money, B) getting the flu shot during a normal year, or C) an ethical situation of your choosing that I have approved via email at least five days before the normal essay due date;  

2) explain how Kant, in what we have read of his Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, would advise you in such an ethical situation, and why he would give that advice;

3) explain how Mill, in what we have read of his Utilitarianism, would advise you in such an ethical situation, and why he would give that advice;

4) argue for or against Kant or Mill's advice, or the reason either of them would give for their advice; and

5) defend your argument's thesis or its support in 4) against a naysayer. 

If you submit someone else's ideas, words, or phrases, you must cite those individuals: plagiarism of any kind will not be accepted.  If you submit ideas, words, or phrases from a previous essay of your own, explicitly state as much.  Please do not just represent, word for word, old material.  Go to http://libguides.piercecollege.edu/citation for excellent information on citing.

Use one-inch margins all around, double-spacing throughout, and Times New Roman font, size 12 only–and no title pages or page numbers please.